Holiday Blooms
We count on the rich aromas and colors of the holiday season to call to mind cherished memories and child-like feelings of anticipation during the holidays. And a big part of that nostalgic feeling comes from the decorations we presently have around our home, our workplace, and our favorite cozy places. Holiday blooms lend an exquisite sensory quality to this magic time when anything's possible. The poinsettia flower, the evergreens ivy and holly, and the romantic plant, mistletoe, are staples of the season. Learn more about each of them as we put the spotlight on seasonal splendor.

Poinsettia: Christmas Flower
Ivy: Eternal Life
Holly: Holy Tree
Mistletoe: Good Luck

Poinsettia
Known as the "Christmas Flower" or the "Flower of the Holy Night," the poinsettia symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem. Sometimes reaching heights of sixteen feet, the poinsettia is the most popular of the Christmas flowers. In medieval times, this striking red bloom was one of the powerful purgatives used to rid the body of black bile and melancholy.

The poinsettia's rich scarlet color comes from its bracts (the leaf-like sections which grow before the flower) rather than the actual flowers themselves. Its bracts resemble the flower of Bethlehem, which is why it's often used to decorate churches during the holidays.

Dress up your poinsettia for the holidays!

Pamper your poinsettia!

Ivy
Ivy is a widely cultivated ornamental climbing or reclining Eurasian vine of the ginseng family. It's a beautiful bouquet of bold colors made up of rich evergreen leaves, small yellowish flowers, and tiny black berries.

Once a pagan good luck charm worn by women, today ivy is a common Christmas decoration in churches and homes. The ancient Greeks used ivy to decorate the altar of the god Hymen, as a symbol of wedded love. Although ivy has no origins in Christmas lore or legend, Christians have adopted it as a symbol of eternal life because of its rich evergreen hue.

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Holly
Holly is one of the most popular Christmas evergreens. The holly tree was known to medieval monks as the "Holy Tree" because they believed it kept evil spirits away. It was also believed to protect a home from lightning. The early Romans decorated their hallways with holly garlands during mid-winter feasts.

Holly later became the emblem of life everlasting; the pointed leaves of the holly represented the crown of thorns worn by Jesus; the red berries symbolized the drops of blood. Holly also came to represent the biblical burning bush in which God appeared before Moses. It should be introduced to the house before Christmas Eve and removed promptly on the Twelfth Night. In the language of flowers holly symbolizes domestic happiness.

Mistletoe
The symbol of eternal life and peace, mistletoe is a plant with a romantic history. The Romans believed that kissing under the mistletoe brought good luck. An early Scandinavian legend describes how the god of peace was slain with an arrow from a mistletoe branch. He was restored to life by the other gods and goddesses; thereafter, the mistletoe became a symbol of love.

Today, mistletoe is hung in entrances and doorways for anyone who hopes to steal a kiss. A kiss under the mistletoe was once interpreted as a promise of marriage, as well as a promise of a long life and lasting happiness.

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